NBC to argue for dismissal of Zimmerman lawsuit

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The judge in George Zimmerman's defamation lawsuit against NBC Universal is set to hear arguments on a request by the media company to dismiss the case.

A hearing has been set for June 19. The case had been postponed pending the conclusion of the Trayvon Martin shooting case. Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder last July in the shooting death of the 17-year-old in Florida.

The former neighborhood watch volunteer sued NBC in 2012, claiming he was defamed when the network edited his 911 call to police after Martin's shooting to make it sound like he was racist.

NBC Universal said in a court filing that Zimmerman failed to comply with Florida's statute regarding retraction requests after the March 2012 broadcasts at issue. It also argued that the harms Zimmerman says he suffered weren't caused by the broadcasts.